Gender variance in spirituality: Difference between revisions

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→‎Gender variant figures in Taoism

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 Gender-variant figures in Taoism:
-* '''[[Wikipedia:Lan Caihe|Lan Caihe]]''' (Lan Ts'ai-ho), one of the eight Taoist immortals, whose gender has never been agreed upon. Lan Caihe could appear as-- or be interpreted as-- a boy, girl, old man, old woman, or anything.
+* '''[[Wikipedia:Lan Caihe|Lan Caihe]]''' (Lan Ts'ai-ho), one of the Eight Immortals, who was a homeless wandering singer. Lan is not thought to have been based on a historically real person,<ref name="NatGeo" /> but many ballads attributed to Lan survive today.<ref name="Britannica" /> The earliest stories about Lan were told as far back as at least the 10th century CE.<ref name="Explaining">金乃逯. ''中国文化释疑 (Explaining Doubts in Chinese Culture).'' 北京语言文化大学出版社, 1999. Page 65.</ref> The gender of Lan Caihe is unknown, and has always been disputed. Chinese theatre traditionally portrays Lan as wearing feminine clothing, but speaking in a masculine voice,<ref name="Britannica">"Lan Caihe." ''Encyclopedia Britannica.'' https://www.britannica.com/topic/Lan-Caihe</ref> that is, by a male actor without attempting a feminine style of speech.<ref name="TimeLifeDragon">''Land of the Dragon: Chinese Myth.'' Time-Life Books, 1999. Page 111.</ref> He Xiangu is always described as the only woman among the Eight Immortals,<ref name="Werner293">E.T.C. Werner. ''Myths and Legends of China.'' London: George G. Harrap & Co. 1922. Page 293. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/15250/15250-h/15250-h.htm#d0e4611</ref><ref name="NatGeo">National Geographic Society (U.S.). ''National Geographic Essential Visual History of World Mythology.'' National Geographic Books, 2008. Page 340.</ref> so Lan is not a woman. According to the ''Xiu Xiang Ba Xian Dong You Ji,'' Lan Caihe was a man who could not understand how to be a man.<ref name="Werner293" /><ref name="Cassell">Randy P. Conner, David Hatfield Sparks, Mariya Sparks. ''Cassell's Encyclopedia of Queer Myth, Symbol, and Spirit: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Lore.'' Cassell, 1997. Page 212.</ref>
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